EPIC Risk Management has appointed Les Murray as its new Managing Director, with responsibility for coordinating the group’s European and US-focused efforts as it goes through ‘a period of rapid expansion’.

As Managing Director, Murray will work closely with Paul Buck, the CEO of the gambling harm reduction consultancy, to ‘maximise awareness’ of its education programmes and ‘thought leadership’ surrounding gambling harm prevention.

Prior to joining EPIC, the new hire gained experience of consultancy, coaching and facilitating through positions at a number of blue chip organisations, having led business transformation programmes as Director at Collinson Grant, Chairman at Vistage UK, Business Development Director at Littlewoods and Director at PwC/IM.

“Demand for EPIC Risk Management’s life-changing training and consultancy services has continued to grow during COVID-19,” Murray commented on his new appointment.

“I join a uniquely talented organisation established by Paul Buck, and built by the Senior Leadership Team, which increasingly pivots towards international markets. I am honoured to now shape and help lead this socially driven and commercially sustainable business on its future growth journey.

“The work on reducing gambling-related harm has never been more important with the Gambling Act Review in the UK, the acceleration of sports gambling across the US, coupled to enquiries for our support from leading organisations around the globe. I’m excited to get started and look forward to contributing to the high impact work EPIC delivers on helping to take the problem out of gambling.”

Murray will work to coordinate EPIC’s global expansion as the consultancy consolidates its operations in the rapidly expanding US sports betting and gaming market, where it has launched a regional subsidiary in addition to its EPIC Risk Management Pro Sport Advisory Board.

The Advisory Board was established with the goal of grouping ‘leaders from around the world’ in the professional sports and esports sectors in a bid to identify and implement methods for the prevention and reducing of gambling related harm in the two respective spaces.

Notable members of the Board include Adam Brickell, the Director of Public Affairs at Flutter Entertainment, Steve Emberson, Betting Integrity Manager at Genius Sports and Jack Francis, Head of Academy Player Care at Chelsea FC, among others.

The addition of Murray to EPIC’s Board follows the appointments of Sam Brooks as the consultant’s Evaluation and Research Manager, Joanna Whitehall as Sustainability Manager and Alan Smart as Harm Prevention Manager. 

Welcoming Murray to EPIC, Buck remarked: “In a field of exciting, high calibre candidates, Les stood out for his undoubted track record of taking organisations to the next level through consultancy and coaching, identifying their strengths and helping them to realise their potential.

“His previous clients have included numerous FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 multinationals, so with our work expanding on an increasingly global level, his experience will be vital in helping our organisation to spread the vital message of how to minimise gambling related harms.

“Les’ warm character is a perfect fit for our organisation, which puts an undoubted focus on the people who work for us and alongside us, and I look forward to seeing the longer-term benefits that his expertise will have on all of those individuals as we establish new projects and break new ground with the territories in which we’ll be delivering.”